It Never Hurts To Sip Gewurz

Clearly the aromatics grab your attention and in the case of one of today's featured grapes -- gewurztraminer -- it's the lychee nut fruit and rose petal aromas that we are most likely to connect with in the glass.

Gewurz is clean and dry but above all fruity and richly scented, with a structure that can range from a mid- to full-bodied white wine depending upon its origin. Certainly in Alsace it can be weighty and oily, while in Germany and other cool climates, like British Columbia, it can be a bit more perfumed and ethereal.

Most examples have a lingering spice, or "gewurz," in the aftertaste, living up to the grape's name. It is a perfect accompaniment to highly seasoned dishes -- Indian and or Asian come quickly to mind -- or even pungent cheeses. I like to use it as an aperitif solo or together with spicy tapas-like treats before dinner.

Today we offer a trio of gewurztraminers for you to try, beginning with the Oak Bay Vineyard Northern Gewurztraminer 2004 from Okanagan producer St. Hubertus. The nose is all gewurztraminer with its fresh floral, peach, mineral, spicy notes and just a touch of lychee nut fruit. It has round, elegant style with some sweetness but the acidity is balanced. Its spicy, mineral and perfumed peachy/melon flavours are a delight. Neither big nor fat, it has some finesse and length despite some obvious residual sugar. Well done and terrific value. Love the screw cap. VQA stores only.

Winemaker Howard Soon has released a fine Sandhill Gewurztraminer Seven Mountain Vineyard 2004 that has the typical spicy meaty/sausage, rose petal nose streaked with marzipan and peach pit aromas. It's very dry and round with spicy, red apple, citrus rind flavours and a dried lychee finish. This is Alsace style without quite the weight, but better acidity.

The archetypal Alsace effort is the Hugel Gewurztraminer 2002. Look for a refined nose of rose petals, spicy sausage, grapefruit, canned lychee and mineral aromas. It has a round, elegant, palate with spicy, mineral, green apple skin, rose petal, sausage flavours spiked with honey notes in the finish. Delicate and balanced, this is stylish gewurztraminer.

From gewurztraminer we move to a trio of complementary syrah blends perfect for barbecued or grilled meats and chicken. Each involves the syrah grape mixed with the effusive grenache and some combination of carignan, cinsault or mourvedre.

First up is the Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap 2004 from South Africa. As fine as the previous vintage was, the '04, now in screwcap, is even brighter and fresher in the glass. The blend is syrah/carignan/ grenache/cinsault and the result is bright cherry fruit, peppery, clove nose with floral/black raspberry overtones. Round, dry and soft it offers up a mix of gamey, black raspberry with a smoky pepper finish. Rhone-style to be sure at a fair price. By the way, there are no wolves in South Africa but that didn't stop the early Dutch settlers from setting traps upon their arrivals to protect themselves -- hence the wolf on the label.

Bordeaux negociant Dourthe Freres is working hard in the south of France as evidenced by the wine coming out of its estate at Serame. Chateau de Serame Corbieres 2001 is a solid wine from a not-so-solid vintage. Look for smoky, peppery licorice aromas with spicy soft, black cherry fruit. A useful summer barbecue red for those who want to escape the inexpensive sweet, acidic reds of Australia. The blend mixes syrah, grenache and carignan.

Another slice from the new world of Spanish wine is the syrah/mourvedre/grenache blend labelled Panarroz Jumilla Red 2003. The nose mixes bright licorice root with earthy mineral aromas underpinned with gamey, barnyard, black fruit notes. It has a soft, rustic meaty style with inky, earthy, round black fruit jam flavours with a touch of iron and acidity. A chunky solid barbecue red.

Oak Bay Vineyard Northern Gewurztraminer 2004, Okanagan Valley, B.C.
Price: $12.99 VQA / Private Wine Stores
UPC: 625259202045
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Good value and it comes with a screwcap to keep it fresh.

Sandhill Gewurztraminer Seven Mountain Vineyard 2004, Okanagan Valley, B.C.
Price: $15.99
UPC: 058976370788
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Alsace style without the weight but with better acidity.

Hugel Gewurztraminer 2002, Alsace, France
Price: $27.95
UPC: 3300370180034
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Spicy, mineral, green apple skin flavours with hints of rose petal.

Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap 2004, Coastal Region, South Africa
Price: $16.99
UPC: 6002039007351
Score: 88/100
Remarks: Black raspberry and licorice fruit with smoky, mocha, flavours.

Chateau de Serame Corbieres 2001, Languedoc, France
Price: $17.90
UPC: 3258691163208
Score: 86/100
Remarks: A useful summer barbecue red.

Panarroz Jumilla Red 2003, Valencia and Murcia, Spain
Price: $15.90
UPC: 097871006101
Score: 87/100
Remarks: Another slice of the New Spain with warm round black fruit flavours.